Consciousness-Based Education - Maharishi University of ...

consciousness-based education and governmenthol consumption compared to controls receiving psychotherapy. Incomparison with controls, the Transcendental Meditation group alsoshowed decreased anxiety, decreased family problems, and decreasedpost-traumatic stress disorder. 11 Meta-analysis studies also show theTranscendental Meditation program more effective than standardtreatment programs for treatment and prevention of cigarette smoking,alcohol abuse, and drug abuse. 12A large-scale health care utilization study by Orme-Johnson pointedtoward improved health through practice of the Transcendental Meditationand TM-Sidhi programs conducted with data from a majorhealth insurance carrier in Iowa. This study showed substantially lowerhospital admission rates for serious illness among 2,000 TranscendentalMeditation practitioners—including heart disease (87% less), cancer(55% less) and nervous system disorders (87% less)—compared with amatched sample over a five-year period. 13The Transcendental Meditation technique has also been used withinmates in the highly stressful conditions characteristic of prisons.Inmates practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique show significantlyreduced anxiety, substance abuse, hostility, violence, prisonrule infractions, and criminal recidivism compared to controls. 14 Theserehabilitation studies point to the possibility of law-abiding behavioreven on the part of so-called “hardened criminals” who have contributedto the fear and stressful conditions in society.Thus, the technique has been demonstrated as an effective treatmentmodality for the alleviation of many stress-related conditions. The profoundrest gained during the technique neutralizes deep-seated stress,balancing conditions in the mind and body, and resulting actions. Moreover,the experience of unbounded awareness, creativity, and intelligencelocated during meditation and stabilized in the individual’s experienceduring activity cultivates an inner locus of control as measured by studieson field independence and self-actualization. 15 When more alternativescan be entertained due to a wider-angle perspective on reality, thereis less frustration and impulsive action to accomplish one’s desires. TheTranscendental Meditation technique can thus be considered as an antidoteto restricted thinking and resultant aggressive action.Yet, as has been described, the threats to human security are multidimensionaland global in proportion. How can a technique, which58